Starting device for internal-combustin engines



J. K. DELANO. summa Device Fon INTERNAL coMsusImN Mams.

APPLICATION ELLED DEC. 9,A

. a7 '40, n 38 59: lA26' ,26

wwmtoz m) m drames K'ezano M @ttor/Mms JAMES EEELANG, F 3h STARTING DEVPCE 1916. Serial To all whom t may concern:

e 1t known that', JAMES la. DnLANo, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Starting Devices for Internal-Combustion Engines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a iull. clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it airipcrtains to make and use thc same.

This invention relates to starting devices for internal combustion ei'igines; and it cornpr'ises more particularly an electrical cranking and ignition system useful in connection with gasolene or other internal combustion engines in automobiles and other motor vehicles.

The invention has to 'do chiefly with that class of power systems in which an internal combustion engine is employed to propel the running gear of a motor vehicle, and in which a dynamo electric machine is arranged .for connection to the shaft et the internal'combustion engine in such manner as to be operable either as a motor `for 'the purpose of initially revolving the engine shaft to start or crank the engin-c, or as a generator driven from the engine shaft after starting for the purpose of storing up electrical energy in astorage battery or the like, such stored up energy being thereafter available for operating the dynamo electric machine as a motor to start the internal combustion engine, and tor supplying current to an ignition system and, optionally., to a lighting system.-

A system of this general character is described in my prior applicationl Serial No 22,085, tiled April 17, 191,5, and the present application, which is a division of said prior application, relates more particularly to the arrangement and operation ot the ignition system in conjunction with the other parts of the system. Brieiy described, 'the yinvention hereinafter claimed comprises an arrangement in which vprovision is made for permitting an increased dow oit' current through the ignition circuit while the engine is being started.

In order to clearly explain the principles underlying the invention, an especially advantageous form thereof is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, which repre- Specicetion of Letters Patent.

in starting.

FOP; NTEEHQL-CMSUSTEN ENGNES.

Patented Apr. 20, 1h20.

Divided and this application led December 9, No. 136,115

sents diagrammatically the circuit relations ot' the various parts of a system embodying the invention hereinafter claimed.

.heierring to said drawing, l0 is a conventional representation of an internal combustion engine of any suitable type, geared as by sprocket 11, chainl12, and sprocket 13, to the armature shaft 14 of a dynamo motor whose armature is indicated at 15. rhe armature shaft also carries pinion 1G meshing with a revoluble distributer gear 1T. The poles ci the dynamo motor, of wh ch one is indicated at 1.8, are provided i three separate windings 1S), :20, and 21. riding 19 consists of a few turns of heavy wire and constitutes a series winding. 20 is another series winding consistingioiVl a greater number ol turns than winding 19,

, but wound in the same direction. rlhe two are operated in parallel,

series windings when the electric machine runs as a motor lilinding 1.9 is cut out oiI circuit when the machine operates as a generator, the resistance of the series field windings being therefore increased. 21 is a shunt winding, connected across brushes 22 and 2S, its vdirection of winding being opposite to series field windings 19 and 20 when machine is generating. Lead 24 connects series winding 19 to switch contact g' while lead 26 connects series winding 20 to switch contact 27.

it QS is indicated a storage battery which Vsupplies electrical energy for operating the electric machine as a i'notor when vstarting the engine, and which receives energy from Jhe electric nrachine when the latter is driven by the engine as a generator. The battery is connected on one side by lead 21;) to brush 23 of the dynamo motor, and to ground as at 30; while lead 31 lcom'iects the other side of the battery to switch contact 32.

'li/leans are provided tor controlling clertrical connections of the storage battery to the dynamo motor. Fluch means comprise inthis instance a switch nien'iber 33 mounted upon but insulated Yfrom a longitudinally shiftable rod or shat't .5st, which is here shown in its neutral position, that is, in such position as to entirely disconnect the battery from the dynamo motor,- By pushing on knob 35 the switch member may be moved against the resistance of spring 36 so as to make a bridging connection between switch contarts 27 and 32 on the one against knob or pedal 35, which may be conveniently located on the dash board where the system is employed in a motor vehicle. As here shown, the switch is automatically returned by spring 3G from starting position to neutral position as soon as knob is released; and a spring stop 55 is ar 'anged to engage a notch in the-rod 3l to yieldably hold the switch in neutral position. By pulling on knob the switch may' be moved into running position, the stop 55 now engaging another notch on the switch rod to hold the switch in ruiming position.

'hen the switch is moved into intermediate or neutral position, both the ignition system and the dynamo motor are discennected from the battery, as stated, and the engine will come to a stop if it has been previously operating. No current can now flow back into the dynamo motor circuit, the described arrangement doing away with the automatic reverse current cut out commonly employed in starting systems heretofore proposed.

It is to be understood that, while a specific type oi dynamo motor and also special switch means have been described for purposes ot illustration. the invention is not limited thereto but is oi' general application, within the scope ot `the appended claim.

'll'hat l claim is:

ln an electrical system for use with internal combustion engines, the combination, with a dynamo motor whose armature shatt is adapted to drive or to be driven by an internal combustion engine, and a storage battery arranged to supply current to said dynamo motorwhen the latter operates-as a motor, and to be charged from said dynamo motor when the latter is driven as a generator, ot' an ignition system for such engine arranged to take current from said battery, a resistance disposed between the battery and the ignition system, a shunt around said resistance, and control means whereby the circuit connections between said battery, ignition system and dynamo motor may be varied according to Whether the engine is being started, is ruiming normally, or is at rest, said control means comprising a longitudinally reciprocable conductive switch member movable into starting and running positions, corresponding to the opposite extremes of its travel, and into (iti" position intermediate such extremes, a plurality ot' double Contact members so arrangedtlnit, in both starting and running positions oil said switch member, said battery .s connected to said ignition system through said resistance and also to said dynamo motor, and another contact member whereby, when said switch member is in starting position, the battery is also connected to said ignition system through said shunt, said switch member, when in its intermediate or olif position, engaging none ot' said contact members.

ln testimony whereoil I hereunto ailix my signature.

JAMES K. DELANO. 

